❪ introlog: #2 ❫ THE CALM.

[natha]

OVERFLOW

You have spent the last few days on Thesa Station, taking in the knowledge that your world is no more. Perhaps you’ve made some friends (or maybe an enemy or two). Either way, you aren’t expected to spend all of your time on the Station. El Nysa needs you, after all, and you promised you’d help the planet thrive. Are you ready? Submit any AC eligible thread of participating in this log's prompts for Two (2) Olympia REP points HERE. TRAVEL LIGHT     You're really lucky, new refugee. Because of the efforts of those that came before you, your own descent into El Nysa will be quick and relatively painless. You get to reap the benefits of others' experience. Those that came before you are all well-versed in the art of teleportation now, and descending into El Nysa is simply a concentrated thought away. A teleporter has been placed in the common areas to help the new refugees descend, but for this first time, you're going to need a little guidance. You're going to need to take the hand of someone who has been on El Nysa for a while now and learn the ropes. Hold on tight, Refugee, and don't be afraid when the blinding light hits you. The actual journey will feel like a sudden whiplash— painless, but sudden, and maybe a little nauseating. Keeping your balance may be difficult, and it’s possible you might end up toppling onto your poor partner. Hopefully you’re at least thankful. You have landed in a back alley in the Residential District of Olympia. HOME SWEET HOME     Immediately, you notice that everything you've been told about El Nysa is true. There are people of all races here, and although no one bats an eye at your appearance as you enter the district, a member of the Royal Guard asks for your passport. They have a keen eye, and can tell that although you may be a new refugee to their city, they've never seen you before. Certain rumors of an outside force making preparations to do some major damage has them particularly on edge. It's a good thing the Orbiters made sure you have an Olympian passport ready to go. You present it, and with a small nod, the Guard says nothing more and slaps a patch on your chest; to your surprise, it reads: Hello! My name is ________________! I am in House #___! Are you my housemate? ... No matter how much you try, there's no removing this sticker. "It'll come off tomorrow," says the guardkeep. "Lots of refugees here, limited housing. It's an easy way to get to know the people you're living with. Though, if you ask me, why are we accepting so many foreigners when so many want to watch this city burn? Well, I don’t give the orders." If someone greets you, the message on the patch will magically change: Secretly, I _____, _____, and _____! What are yours? There's no telling how they'd known these things, but it likely has to do with Zasere. AGAIN. It may be a good idea to get situated in your new home and set down some ground rules with your roommates. There is also, of course, much of Olympia to explore. FLONA COVE     Word around the city is that one very cute and enthusiastic Olympian, You Watanabe, has been asking around earnestly for the nearest place to find some coastal fun. It didn't take long before a few locals pointed her in the direction of Flona Cove. Maybe it’s a good idea to check out the area. There are only a few more days left of summer, after all. Even if you're not the beach type, exploring a new area certainly can't hurt your understanding of El Nysa. Flona Cove is just a quick train ride away. BEACH PARTY: Chances are, you've heard about the beach party being organized by You Watanabe, whether it be from her directly or someone who knows her. A lot of careful planning has gone into it, and it looks like a great time, so why not check it out? Full speed ahead towards a great time! There's plenty of food for everyone, and plenty of watermelons that need splitting! 1. Various food vendors from around Flona Cove have agreed to offer free food for the new refugees, and they line the shoreline near the harbor, enthusiastically offering goodies such as seafood kabobs, ice cream, fresh fruit (including whole watermelons!), and hot dogs. You Watanabe herself has a grill where she’s cheerfully serving up her trademark "Niceoodles" yakisoba as well as other Japanese food like takoyaki and rice. What makes her noodles so nice? It’s obviously the cheerful smiley-face sun drawn on the omelette. In exchange, the chefs and vendors only ask that you spread the word, though most of them have buckets for donations if you want to help chip back in. After the party is all done, however, there seem to be plenty of dishes that need doing, all in a big pile. You herself is working on getting through the mountain of dishes, but maybe you could lend a hand? 2. It's just not a beach party without the traditional watermelon splitting! For those of you who don't come from modern Japan on Earth, it might be perplexing at first seeing the literal mountain of watermelons grown with the help of Keyleth, another recent Olympian. If the bat-like sticks and blindfolds next to them don’t explain the purpose, though, you might just sit back and watch as a brave competitor sets a watermelon on the sand, ties a blindfold around their eyes, and has people start yelling at them which way to go. They consider the shouts of the crowd, take a swing... and strike nothing but sand. Perhaps you can do better? There are beach activities galore. Now's the time to build the sandcastle of your dreams or play a game of beach volleyball. Maybe you're brave enough to surf the waves, or you’d just like to enjoy a swim. Mom friends who just want to lounge in the sun and read a book while working on their tan are welcome too, of course. BENEATH THE SURFACE: 1. Diving beneath the waters in Flona Cove yield a whole new world on its own. Rent a scuba suit and take a trip to explore the corals, and you may even be lucky enough to run into a playful school of dolphins. Be careful-- they tend to get carried away and will happily drag swimmers for a wild ride. 2. You might want a boat for this scuba adventure, unless you're a strong swimmer. Venture deeper into the ocean, farther away from the coast, and adventurers will find some interesting stuff. Two miles southwest of the harbor, deep, deep into the watery abyss, lies a shipwreck. Exploring through the various rooms of the ship yields a few knick-knacks here and there-- rusted spare parts, cracked tea sets... a surprisingly well-preserved pin-up painting of Koralle? The real treasure awaits for those who have the courage to swim beneath the ship's hull. Here, covered in algae and debris, lies the skeletal corpse of a winged, fanged, clawed beast. This is only a distant memory of its former glory, as nothing but bones are left, but something— something brilliant, catches your eye. Those hundreds of teeth are not bone, but a material so lustrous and pure, it nearly blinds. It will take some work, but with persistence and strength, it is possible to extract a tooth. Those that work in Simwe Institute or The Sanctuary may find it beneficial to take an extra for their boss— this is definitely something that is of interest to study. 3. Olympians love their luxury. There's nothing more luxurious than a secluded lagoon, the water at just the perfect temperature and pristine. This is one of the most sought-after spots for the natives, but when you come across it, it is completely peaceful and empty. For the tourists? Well, this place simply gets overlooked due to its distance from the main beaches. It's also relatively hidden. Soon you start feeling oddly friendly? Cupid’s Pool is also described by the people of Olympia as the touchy-feely pool. It has an inherent property that makes those who soak in it crave physical affection. Chances are you probably wanted to know this before you decided to take a dip, huh? (Please warn for threads appropriately) EARN SOME SILVER     1. While many of the locals came together to offer their hands to provide a bit of entertainment for the surge in tourism, that isn’t to state that they’re fully staffed. Have a few hours to spare? They're willing to pay for your help. Maybe you’re just the cooking champ they needed? The lifeguard who showed up just in time? Or the star salesman at their humble accessory shop so desired? 2. The man who approaches you is even offering more than most of the vendors down the street. Sure, the guy and his entourage look kind of shady, but money is money, isn't it? If you accept, he’ll shove a strange swimsuit or two your way and lead you to the dressing room. What kind of job is this? Modeling, he says. Hopefully you aren’t camera shy! Hey there, hot stuff. I like your look. Or maybe it's your... aura? Either way, I like what you're working with. How about you flaunt what you've got for some fat silver stacks? He also wants to be able to test your charm, and is willing to pay a whopping 400 silver in exchange. He may even ask you to go "talk" (did you hear him say "hit on"?) to a couple of people, and “sell” yourself. Whatever that means... Incidentally, he says he’ll give you a signal once you get a pass. Feels like forever, doesn’t it? 3. Once night begins to fall and the people gradually begin to clear out, you’ll notice something... odd. There are some shady looking people around, and maybe you’ve been hearing whispers all day about a certain "fight club." Initially, no one will tell you a time or location, but if you are persistent, your efforts will pay off. Perhaps in light of helping a vendor clear out their stall or assisting that one Olympian native in distress, they’re willing to tell you a few things about this exclusive club. They explain to you that it’s been a long-standing tradition of Olympia. Secret fight clubs. A place for people to stretch their wings and their fists. Moreover, the pay off seems to be pretty good! Though, they warn you that there are some aggressive competitors out there this time around. Things have been tough politically for a while now, and there is much unrest among the people. What better way to blow off some steam than to beat someone up and make a bit of bank! Fights are not to the death, simply until a knock out, but accidents (and "accidents") do happen. Finding the crowd of people will take some searching, even with directions. They meet along the northern coast of Flona, by following a path leading underground, well away from any civilization. Once you’re there, why not participate? You may find yourself facing off against a fellow refugee. OOC     An AC-eligible thread for 2 OLYMPIAN REP POINTS may be submitted from this log. SUBMIT THE THREAD HERE by OCTOBER 15 11:59 PM EST. In the event of CAPTCHA, we will be providing an overflow. In the event of a second CAPTCHA, players are advised to move threads to an overflow post on their character journals. These threads remain eligible for AC, AC Rewards, and REP. 1 SILVER = 1 US DOLLAR. QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● world ● map ● reputation ● npcs taken ● reserves ● application calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

Comments

[daemonized]

[He listens, uninterrupting, head tilted slightly as the other explains his fondness for mapo tofu, and the reasoning why he would not seek to have someone make it for him. Interesting, and far more information than anyone else would've given a stranger, he thinks, but Ardyn will not complain at all.]

Maybe I will. But... a "worthless endeavor"? Maybe you assume too much.

[He gestures with his hand as he speaks.]

There are many who take pleasure in the art of cooking and preparing food, for the sake of merely serving it to others. I imagine you might find at least one person here who does not mind the effort, but takes equal pleasure in it -- as you might find pleasure in the taste of the food itself.

Is it truly the only food that you enjoy, however?

[congratulating]

You may be right. [ Kirei relents. He supposes that he knew of one person that enjoyed making food for others because that is all that she could see herself capable of doing for anyone. Those that take pleasure in feeding others because they find themselves incapable of any other task. He breathes out a half-laugh as he realizes that he's darkening the very good will that the man before him is speaking of. ]

It is the only food that I have found myself enjoying. I don't eat it every day of every week, however. But it is what I enjoy because when people see me eating it... when they're aware of what it is... it brings them a small bit of suffering to witness. [ A shrug of his shoulders. ] And while I eat, I think of how they are suffering if they eat the same.

That is why I say I will be disappointed for a time. I am certain I can find some other agonizing meal to eat and bring misfortune to others in seeing it being eaten, or attempt to eat. [ At least, he's honest about his intentions. ]

[daemonized]

[How novel. That he would so readily admit to wondering about someone else's suffering, using food as a vehicle. Ardyn actually laughs at this, and though it's wry, it's surprisingly sincere all the same.]

That is to say, you're a sadist.

[A joke? An observation? Maybe both.]

Still, I wonder if I envy you. How barren food might taste to one such as myself, these days. To find even pleasure in one -- even if it ancillary at best -- is still something to admire.

[congratulating]

Sadist is one way to put it, and not an incorrect one.

[ Another easy admission.

Kirei pauses at the idea of someone actually feeling envious of him. It's a second of looking his companion over that the priest almost feels compelled to say more, but he doesn't. The flickering of hope is there, of course, but it doesn't necessarily make him happy. ]

It brings but a small bit of joy, but it fades quickly. I would not be so envious. It is like being alone in a blizzard and having only a matchbox. [ Amusing analogy given his VR experience. ] There are times it would be better to freeze than be given a hint of something beyond the cold. Something that is almost normal, like enjoying food.

[daemonized]

[An elegant metaphor, but one that does not escape Ardyn's understanding. Hope is a fickle thing, finding pleasure in a swath of pain or fatigue or apathy is even worse, because it's only ever fated to fade away.]

Then one might wonder what the point even is, hm?

[Ardyn has accepted his own fate. Centuries upon centuries ago. This place, it threatens to spark hope within him once more (and he's wary of that, sometimes he hates it), but it also reminds him of all that was lost. Opportunities to finally rest, stolen from his grasp.]

[congratulating]

[ There is a second that Kirei smiles -- one twisted with cruelty before it softens to a half-smirk. ]

Indeed, what is the point? [ And so he begins his search, again. He hates the flickering flame of the broken matchsticks that he has been given but he has yet to give up. There is a point and reason for it all. That is his damning hope. ]

And so... such a serious talk over a passing fancy of mine. I apologize. [ Funny, he hardly sounds sorry. ]

[daemonized]

[Ah, that smile. It might be there for a half a second, but how could Ardyn have missed it? He knows, then, that he's stumbled across one of the more interesting refugees -- a normal person might have all the red flags setting off right now, but Ardyn does not cater to fear the same way others do. Chalk it up to 2000+ years of existence, but all he feels right now is a lingering amusement and curiosity.]

Well, if it's made your way to your name tag, maybe it's simply something worth talking about. Regardless, what better way to get to know an individual, what with going over a few secrets? It's difficult sometimes, you realize, what with how many new ones there are these days. Sorting out which ones are worth entertaining discussion with, and which are not.

[congratulating]

[ continued in the overflow ]